Biggest kitchen and bath trends for 2018

I’m just now returning from the KBIS blog tour in Orlando, Florida. KBIS is the largest kitchen and bath show in the country where leading experts come together to share what’s hot and new in the industry. Here, I got to see the latest in styles, finishes, colors and design, not to mention technology. This blog tour was put on by Veronica Miller and Florence Von Pelet of Modenus, and I cannot thank them enough for including me on this incredible tour.

Going on blog tours gives me a behind-the-scenes look at what’s really going on behind the curtain with the wizards. Manufacturers and vendors alike give us the inside scoop so you can get a bird’s eye view in real time of what to put in your next project. Throughout the year there are many trade shows but none are as popular as KBIS. Be sure to hop over to 2019’s round up of the newest and latest trends that are so new that they are just on the horizon. Many are included here with a few new ones just scratching the surface. If you’re about to build a new home or remodel, the tips in this post along with this one, Hottest New Kitchen and Bath Trends for 2019, will be a cost savings lifesaver!

Another reason I love these tours is it gives me the ability to pinpoint trends. As an Interior designer I am in the thick of it. Meaning every day I work with every day people just like you who are requesting everyday things so I know what everyday items they want. There is no other group that can walk a tour and immediately see what will work and what won’t than that of an interior designer. Sure, a manufacturer may think they’ve discovered the holy grail, but leave it to the designer to tell you the truth.

So what did I see? If you’re about to start a remodeling project or in the middle of making selections, here’s the biggest kitchen and bath trends to carry you into every remodeling project in your home right now.

1) Granite is out!

If you’re about to start a project with any counter tops you’ll want to consider using quartz. It’s the number one product on the market right now. It’s durable, has incredible finish options and it’s fresh. Trust me those of us who have been doing projects since the late nineties are so bored of granite.

2) Brass is back!

Yep, you read that right. Chrome and satin still reign supreme if you want to keep it classic however shiny brass is back in a big way. Not ready to commit? Yet another trend is rose gold.

3) Stone sinks

Beautiful hand carved stone sinks were also a hot topic at the show. While traditional porcelain will always be a classic, a stone sink is where the trend is headed.Here are two examples from the DXV showroom:

4) Two tone cabinets and bleached cabinets

Yet another huge trend were two tone cabinets and bleached woods. Finally we are getting away from the all white trend. So if you’re about to remodel your kitchen or bathroom avoid doing all white. You will immediately date your house.

5) Navy and blue

Without a doubt the biggest trend in Kitchen and Bath right now is color, especially blues. It was an apparent trend in everything from cabinets to appliances.

6) Color

Blue was the top color of the show but color was indeed everywhere. Cabinets, faucets, appliances and evens sinks were anything but traditional.

7) Doors

Boring builder grade doors are out. If you want your home to stand out with details start with amazing doors! Doors are very important in feng shui so I was very pleased to see so many fantastic options available.

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67 Comments

Lynette
on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at 9:24 pm

Thanks for the post! My home definitely needs an update. I’ve been searching the internet for ideas and your website is filled with great ideas and info. While I want to update my mid-90s home to a more modern design, I want something that will last more than a few years, especially the big-ticket items like floors and cabinets. Can you give advice about which trends (wall color, faucet finishes, flooring, cabinets, etc.) you think will last more than a few years? Trends that aren’t too “trendy?” Thanks!

Lynette
Thanks for the note! The most important thing to take into consideration when remodeling is to choose items you love. For instance,
my mom loves mint green. She always has! Sometimes it’s in sometimes not so much. So start there. Choose finishes that are classics
like chrome. It never goes out of style! Another classic item is wood floors. They are versatile and can always be retained to look updated.
Keep it simple, and stick with what you love. Avoid super trendy items.
Hope this helps!
xx
Amanda

I am planning a kitchen remodel. I do not have the budget to replace the all white cabinets but plan to repaint them. I am adding a large island 5′ x10 ‘and considered painting it a dark color. If my upper and lower cabinets Are white will the kitchen still be dated if I have a different color island? I am excited and nervous. This is a huge project and I am stretching my budget as far as I can but want to make the best choices. New flooring, appliances, fixtures, addition of bar and cabinet refinish are all needed and on my list.

As with kitchens, bathrooms are increasingly styled with a contemporary, spa-like feel, with white and gray being the most popular colors. White is also the most popular color for fixtures. But this isn’t to say vivid colors have been ditched

Wonderful article with lots of info. We are about to build a new home (complete in 2018) I want to make sure to not date ourselves with white and subway tile 🙂
Whats your opinion on wood floor tiles. I hate them but my husband loves them. Also, you mentioned you would be posting about some products that are on trend.Our builder doesn’t offer any of the items I want (gold faucets.. etc.)Any suggestions on flooring. thanks

Cynthia
Thanks for the comment. Totally depends on your area. You may consider hiring an interior designer for a consultation to knock out
a few details that help pull it all together. If you don’t have any in your area I’d be happy to have Amy set up a virtual consult
for you. Just let us know!
Good luck!
Amanda

Just finished reading your post! Amazing show indeed. 5 years ago we updated our 1972 small kitchen, Cherry stained cabinets, Madura Gold granite and of course glass mosaic tiles. I am sick of the red/peachy tons in the kitchen. I dream of a white kitchen and maybe a gray kitchen with white/gray counters and backsplash. Is my current darker kitchen super dated? What do you suggest for a re-fresh!!

Thank -you for the great article. Can you kindly provide further pictures or a website address to look at more pictures? I am in love with the dark brown cabinets and the bleach cabinets on top with the brass hardware. Was this one of your designs? I can’t locate it on your website.

Oh no! In the process of building a brand new home and researched many hours looking at “timeless” kitchens… all said white shaker cabinets were timeless. Now they are “out”? I already ordered… no going back… I’m doing black, white, gray cement tile backsplash with an Indian honed black granite (out too apparently). Any suggestions on keeping the look updated and trendy???

Wow down here in Australia the shaker cabinets are just staring to get popular after many years of plain cabinetry. We seem to be going from a minimalist sleek shiny look to a bit more of a rustic and textured look using timber, concrete/bricks and black/gold/copper accents.

We have friends who installed quartz counter tops in the bathrooms, and they scolded my wife for putting a warm hair dryer directly down on a quartz counter. I’m sure quartz counters will go out of style real soon.

Oh dear, that wasn’t nice of them. Maybe they weren’t quartz, and rather the counters were a solid surface, like Corian? (They can melt just by setting down a mug of hot tea/coffee!) We have had quartz countertops for 13 years and can place a sizzling hot pan on the counter and nothing happens.

Amanda,my house recently flooded and I need help. I live in Houston and it is almost impossible to get a decorator or contractor that is not over the top expensive! I have opened up my kitchen and have to marry the two styles. I have a bar that already has white cabinets. Do you think its ok if they don’t match? Also, I am going to do a floating shelve as well. I I have a polished chrome faucet can I do brushed brass? I just don’t want to invest in brass, if its a trend.Lastly, I love the cement tiles for the bathroom floor and the backsplash. They are not cheap, but so worth it. However I was going to do a subtle grey. I never loved the grey and white trend but its so nutural

I have recently moved into our house that my fiancé has been renovating (on his own) for two years (TWO!) The style that we wanted when we started has changed at least twice, partly because we were afraid it would look dated in a few years. For example, we chose to NOT go with the “rustic modern” look (barn board, wrought iron, copper accents) because we are already so tired of seeing it. I think that look will really be over in a couple more years……

The problem with trends is you spend 30-60k to remodel a master bathroom, and 10 years later, you hate it. I work too hard to want to spend that kind of $$$ on a trend. Therefore, I’ll choose timeless and classic so no one walks into my house one day and says, “Oh yeah, encaustic tiles… I remember when those were in style.” 🙂

Help needed! We are getting our house ready to sell. I cannot afford to replace cabinets or cabinet doors. The actual cabinets are decent, but they need to either be re-stained or painted. I have wood floors and the current stain looks good with the floors. I have a Corian countertop that is in really good shape. It is white and tan. I prefer wood srain, but I am not doing it for myself. My appliances are black. I am not replacing them, as they are still good. It is a pretty small kitchen an is not open concept. Recommendations? If paint, what color?

Hello!
Our house recently flooded from hurricane Harvey and I am trying to figure out my kitchen. I want something that will not be boring, yet not be out of style soon! I love white cabinets, but I am not sure what to do with the counter tops. Is it out of style to have the kitchen counter tops one color and the island counter top another color? Is marble out for counters? Any suggestions GREATLY appreciated!!

Kristi
Trends are trends. Choose things you love and work with your lifestyle. If you can fit a trend into your design that you love, then great! If you’re unsure, be sure to work with a professional to make sure you get it right!
xx
Amanda

Are they still showing the white marble countertops? Are they showing a bit more veining or a little busier than a mostly white countertop for the kitchen. All I have been seeing in new build homes in the kitchens are more on the whitish side.

Beth
White is still big but the shift is going more into quartz and stronger materials as marbles can be quite high maintenance
for the average family. But be careful, many yards that used to call slabs quartz are now calling them marble and vice versus.
xx
Amanda

We redid our kitchen 23 yrs ago, and we have the last of Brammar cupboards, they are in perfect condition, and are Oak with acorn finish, the counter top is a blue grey color as is the linoleum flooring, Im hoping to update with floor and counters, and get a new sink, but keep the cupboards, any ideas on what to get? We’ve lived here for 35 yrs, and need to refresh things. Thank you.

Jena
Since I don’t know what it looks like It would be hard to make an assessment with such little info. I would recommend consulting with a designer in your area to make sure
you nail it and get another 20 years out of your kitchen!
xx
Amanda

Ugh, I wish I’d read this prior to renovating my kitchen. I used Dallas White Granite for the counter tops, knew I should’ve researched more. I can’t afford to redo it but I was thinking maybe I could paint my cabinets (currently plain white)and add a colored back splash to look updated? My house was built back in the 50’s, brick bungalow, wood floors/grey walls.

I am looking to start a master bathroom remodel in South Carolina (near the beach). The house is more traditional so in redoing the master bath we are looking at adding a free standing tub and a furniture looking vanity with a make-up vanity in the design.

Going into 2018 are make up vanities still appealing to a buyer? Are they still considered a luxury item?

can you help me identify the manufacturer for the picture you have above of a white bathroom backsplash of large hexagonal tiles with interwoven large wavy circle textures? picture 5 under section 8 “subway tiles are out”? My wife is in love with it and I cannot identify it. thanks so much!

Hey! I absolutely love your post!! I’m remodeling my home and was wondering if you could tell me what color cabinets I should do if I go with the navy blue range? I was thinking. White on top and gray on bottom but wasn’t sure if that was too much with a colorful range. If you have time to respond I would love your opinion!! I’m nervous to do all white after reading your posts! 😂

Shantaye,
This is a very regional-specific question! White is definitely on its way out, but remember, it’s simultaneously always in. How’s that for a confusing answer? haha Here’s the thing, the trend has been strong for a decade, and in trend terms, it’s
run its course. Cabinets will start to transition. Hire someone in your area for a quick consult to ensure you get it right and invest your dollars wisely!
xx
Amanda

Great content in sharing some of the biggest trends this 2018! Granite has a lot of variety designs and colors that match to countertop materials and blends with the kitchen cabinets, walls and flooring. Stone Sinks are also new today as it gives an aesthetic look and elegant style to an “ordinary kitchen sink”. Other trends that was mentioned above should be in everyone’s lists if you plan to remodel your kitchen. Thanks for this post!

While I want to update my mid-90s home to a more modern layout, I want something that will remain quite a number years, specifically the large-price ticket objects like floors and shelves. As an instance, my mother loves mint inexperienced. She continually has! once in a while it’s in once in a while not so much.

Great content in sharing some of the biggest trends this 2018! Granite has a lot of variety designs and colors that match to countertop materials and blends with the kitchen cabinets, walls and flooring.